Snipe incident
Encyclopedia
The Snipe incident was a military incident that took place between Chile
and Argentina
during 1958 as a result of an disputed border line in the Beagle Channel
.
Both countries disagreed about the sovereign rights over the zone and Snipe, an uninhabitable islet between Picton Island and Navarino Island, claimed by both. Indeed, Chileans call the waterway
around the islet Beagle Channel, but in Argentina they called it Moat channel on the grounds that the Beagle Channel went south around the Navarino Island. In accordance with the Beagle Channel Arbitration
and the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina
, it should be called Beagle Channel.
The incident began on 12 January 1958 as the crew of the Chilean Navy
transport ship Milcavi built a lighthouse
on the islet Snipe to improve the navigation
of the waterway. The beacon of the lighthouse was installed on 1 May.
In April, Isaac Francisco Rojas
, at that time, Commander of Naval Operations of the Argentine Navy
, ordered the destruction of the Chilean lighthouse and its replacement with an Argentine one.
]
On 11 May, the Argentine lighthouse was dismantled and transported to Puerto Williams
by the crew of the Chilean patrol boat
Lientur. Later, on 15 May, the same crew recovered the rest of the first Chilean lighthouse that had been removed and thrown into the deep end of the waterway by the crew of the Argentine patrol boat ARA Guaraní.
On 8 June, a new Chilean lighthouse was installed on the islet by the crew of the Lientur.
The next day the lighthouse was shelled and destroyed by the calibre
4.7 inches main guns of the Argentine destroyer
ARA San Juan
, and a company of Argentine naval infantry
occupied the islet to impose the Argentine claim.
Despite military deployment, a truce was agreed between the parties, that brought a return to previous status quo
: no lighthouse and withdrawal of the Argentine military from the islet.
To confront the crisis, the Chilean government, in the last days of the second Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
administration, issued the Ley Reservada del Cobre, bill No. 13.196, that provided for part of state owned Codelco
's copper
sales, for the purchase of weapons.
Twenty years later, in 1978, in order to avoid a repetition of the fait accompli
, Chile placed troops on Snipe and their other islands south of the Beagle Channel before the start of Operation Soberania
, Argentina's planned invasion.
The fate of Snipe islet has since been settled by the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984
, as an internationally recognized territory of the state of Chile. There is now a lighthouse on the islet.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
during 1958 as a result of an disputed border line in the Beagle Channel
Beagle Channel
thumb|right|300px|Aereal view of Beagle Channel. The Chilean [[Navarino Island]] is seen in the top-right while the Argentine part of [[Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego]] is seen at the bottom-left....
.
Both countries disagreed about the sovereign rights over the zone and Snipe, an uninhabitable islet between Picton Island and Navarino Island, claimed by both. Indeed, Chileans call the waterway
Waterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
around the islet Beagle Channel, but in Argentina they called it Moat channel on the grounds that the Beagle Channel went south around the Navarino Island. In accordance with the Beagle Channel Arbitration
Beagle Channel Arbitration
On 22 July 1971 Salvador Allende and Alejandro Lanusse, the Presidents of Chile and Argentina, signed an arbitration agreement . This agreement related to their dispute over the territorial and maritime boundaries between them, and in particular the title to the Picton, Nueva and Lennox islands...
and the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina
Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina
The Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina was signed into agreement at the Vatican on 29 November 1984.It was ratified...
, it should be called Beagle Channel.
The incident began on 12 January 1958 as the crew of the Chilean Navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
transport ship Milcavi built a lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
on the islet Snipe to improve the navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
of the waterway. The beacon of the lighthouse was installed on 1 May.
In April, Isaac Francisco Rojas
Isaac Rojas
Isaac Francisco Rojas Madariaga was an Argentine Admiral of the Navy and de-facto Vice President of Argentina....
, at that time, Commander of Naval Operations of the Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
, ordered the destruction of the Chilean lighthouse and its replacement with an Argentine one.
]
On 11 May, the Argentine lighthouse was dismantled and transported to Puerto Williams
Puerto Williams
Puerto Williams is a Chilean port, located on Isla Navarino facing the Beagle Channel. It is the capital of the Chilean Antarctic Province, one of four provinces located in the Magellan and Chilean Antartica Region...
by the crew of the Chilean patrol boat
Patrol boat
A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defense duties.There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, or police force, and may be intended for marine and/or estuarine or river environments...
Lientur. Later, on 15 May, the same crew recovered the rest of the first Chilean lighthouse that had been removed and thrown into the deep end of the waterway by the crew of the Argentine patrol boat ARA Guaraní.
On 8 June, a new Chilean lighthouse was installed on the islet by the crew of the Lientur.
The next day the lighthouse was shelled and destroyed by the calibre
Caliber (artillery)
In artillery, caliber or calibredifference in British English and American English spelling is the internal diameter of a gun barrel, or by extension a relative measure of the length....
4.7 inches main guns of the Argentine destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
ARA San Juan
Buenos Aires class destroyer
The Buenos Aires class destroyers were a group of destroyers built for the Argentine Navy in Britain in the 1930s.-Design:The ships were based on the contemporary G class destroyers building for the British Royal Navy, with some modifications to suit Argentinian requirements...
, and a company of Argentine naval infantry
Naval Infantry Command
The Argentine Marine Corps, officially Comando de la Infantería de Marina or COIM , but better known as Infantería de Marina de la Armada de la República Argentina or IMARA , is the land warfare amphibious branch of the Argentine Navy and one of its four operational commands.Argentine Marines have...
occupied the islet to impose the Argentine claim.
Despite military deployment, a truce was agreed between the parties, that brought a return to previous status quo
Status quo
Statu quo, a commonly used form of the original Latin "statu quo" – literally "the state in which" – is a Latin term meaning the current or existing state of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep the things the way they presently are...
: no lighthouse and withdrawal of the Argentine military from the islet.
Aftermath
The conflict over the islet (and the zone) was postponed, but Argentina maintained that the zone was disputed, and without a satisfactory solution, there would be no advance or economic use of the zone.To confront the crisis, the Chilean government, in the last days of the second Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo was a Chilean Army officer and political figure. He served as dictator between 1927 and 1931 and as constitutional President from 1952 to 1958.- The coups of 1924 and 1925 :...
administration, issued the Ley Reservada del Cobre, bill No. 13.196, that provided for part of state owned Codelco
Codelco
CODELCO is the Chilean state owned copper mining company formed in 1976 from the foreign owned copper companies that were nationalised in 1971. The headquarters are in Santiago and the seven-man board of directors is appointed by the President of the Republic...
's copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
sales, for the purchase of weapons.
Twenty years later, in 1978, in order to avoid a repetition of the fait accompli
Fait Accompli
Fait accompli is a French phrase which means literally "an accomplished deed". It is commonly used to describe an action which is completed before those affected by it are in a position to query or reverse it...
, Chile placed troops on Snipe and their other islands south of the Beagle Channel before the start of Operation Soberania
Operation Soberanía
Operación Soberanía was the codename of a planned Argentine military invasion of Chile to be carried out on 22 December 1978 due to the Beagle conflict dispute. The invasion was halted at the last minute and did not take place....
, Argentina's planned invasion.
The fate of Snipe islet has since been settled by the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984
Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina
The Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina was signed into agreement at the Vatican on 29 November 1984.It was ratified...
, as an internationally recognized territory of the state of Chile. There is now a lighthouse on the islet.